Brave
by herethereeverywhere
Summary: Jazz just wanted to see him be brave. Song and revelation fic. Song: Brave by Sara Bareilles


**What's that in the sky? It's a bird! It's a plan! No, it's a new one-shot! Enjoy and review my friends :)**

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Danny shifted uncomfortably on his bed, near incomprehensible thoughts racing at the speed of light. He ran a hand through his black hair, taking a moment to collect himself. On the other side of the room, Jazz leaned against a closed door, watching her brother. She had just informed him that their parents, ghost hunters, were catching on about Danny's secret identity. She also advised him to finally talk about it with them, a fact he was not yet ready to face. Here they were, with differing opinions, both knowing one was right. Danny knew Jazz was right, but he refused to admit it. It was his worst fear.

_You can be amazing_

_You can turn a phrase into a weapon or a drug_

Jazz moved towards Danny, the boy flinching as she took a seat on the bed beside him. She looked at him expectantly, but he said nothing. Much to her surprise, Danny rested a head on Jazz's shoulder. She stroked his hair like their mother used to when he had trouble sleeping after a nightmare. It did little to comfort the panicking hybrid, but he smiled at the intentions behind her actions.

"Danny," she said, causing the teen to snap his head up. She waited a moment for him to collect himself again before continuing. "Danny, I really think it's time."

Danny sighed in frustration, flopping backwards on the bed and burying his face in his hands.

Jazz rolled her eyes at her brother's behavior. "Just hear me out. Mom and Dad do not exactly know, so they are not angry at you for anything. And they won't be. You need to explain it in a way that is comfortable for you and them, making a chance for better results." She paused again, taking another glance at Danny.

He peeked one eye between spread fingers, then slowly lifted his hands from his face and dropped them to his sides. Jazz knew very well she had lost him somewhere at the end with the last "results" part.

"What I'm trying to say is that you are an amazing kid, Danny. And even though you are not the best student, you're smart enough to figure this out." Jazz smiled confidently, while Danny weakly returned the favor.

_You can be the outcast_

_Or the backlash of somebody's lack of love_

A voice creeped into Danny's mind, filling his head with doubts and mistrust. How would Jazz know their parents would react better if he found the "right words"? What if no matter what he said or did to convince them, they treated him like an abomination? He could become the result of abuse, painting a bad picture for the rest of his family and causing his friends worry. He did not want to become a burden upon anyone because of the stupid mistake of revealing his secret to his parents.

_Or you can start speaking up_

Danny forced the "what if's" into the back of his mind and replayed what Jazz had said. If he used the right words and approached it in a certain fashion, maybe they would react better than expected. After all, they were becoming suspicious of his associations with Danny Phantom, and maybe this could help them clear it up. If he cleared it up, maybe they would not be upset or take any aggression towards his alter ego out on him at all.

_Nothing's gonna hurt you the way the words do_

_And they settle 'neath your skin_

_Kept on the inside, no sunlight_

_Sometimes the shadow wins_

Jazz's voice brought Danny out of his thoughts and the two locked eyes as she spoke. "Danny, they are not going to hurt you. I won't let them. The only thing that hurts now is the doubt inside you, convincing yourself something bad is going to happen. But it won't."

She was right; they both knew it. Danny thanked his lucky stars for Jazz. Without her, he did not know where he would be. No one would have been there to cover up, to support him, to make sure his parents did not take a single hair off his head. He would be under confident and possibly not able to fulfill the duties placed upon himself. She helped drive out the dark thoughts, even her pyscho-babble.

_But I wonder what would happen if you_

_Say what you wanna say_

_And let the words fall out_

Danny thought to himself again, unable to resist his distracting thoughts. Jazz did not mind, in fact she encouraged him to seek his own answers. Danny thought that if he just spilled it to his parents, it could go two ways. It could make his life a living hell, and maybe even his afterlife. He could live in torture, a prisoner in his own home. Or his parents could accept him and help him keep a schedule. He would not have to be wary of their inventions anymore or be afraid of injury in the lab. The only way to find out, however, was to say it.

_Honestly I wanna see you be brave_

Danny rose off the bed, shuffling towards the door. He placed a hand on the knob, but it dropped back to his side in an instant. Jazz's smile faded, and she shifted on the bed so that she faced her brother, though his back was turned to her.

"Go Danny, be brave." She said, giving him her final words of encouragement. Danny smiled, though she could not see, and opened the door. He let it hit the adjacent bedroom wall before taking a step into the hallway. He half-heartedly smiled at Jazz and saluted her, unsure if they would see each other under the same circumstances again. But Jazz knew she would see him again, because Danny was hero. And heroes are brave.


End file.
